Profile: In 2009, Eric Thames played both Rookie and High-A ball for the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2011, he played 95 games in The Show. Thames has come a long way fast, and, after hitting Triple-A pitching to the tune of .352/.423/.610 to start 2011, he didn’t look too out of place with the Blue Jays once he was promoted. While Thames struggled to hit Major League left-handed pitching in his first go-round, his success against right-handed pitching makes him a platoon outfield option for Toronto. He’ll come into spring training competing against Travis Snider for a job in left field. While Thames showed power by hitting 12 home runs, his very low walk rate and adventures in the outfield are holding him back. At 25, with Thames about to hit his peak, his mountain doesn’t seem too high. But keep your eye on him, and if he’s playing, he could be an inexpensive platoon option for your own bench. (Navin Vaswani)

The Quick Opinion: Thames made the most of his promotion to Toronto in 2011, batting .262 and hitting 12 home runs in 95 games. Thames is intriguing, and will be competing for a job in Toronto’s left field in 2012. He’s got some pop, and some value as a platoon option off your bench, but his walk rate must improve.

Profile: As a lefty hitter with some power, Thames looked like a decent fit for Safeco Field and a good excuse to demote Carlos Peguero. It didn’t work out that way; despite a strong ISO (.220), Thames didn’t do much with the pitches he didn’t crush, limping to a .290 wOBA in 2012. The plate discipline Thames displayed in the minors still hasn’t surfaced, and he’s probably doomed to be a platoon outfielder. The only good news is that, if the Mariners miss on Nick Swisher, Thames will get another chance or two as part of Seattle’s wide collection of flawed outfielders. At 26 years old, Thames deserves another shot, but unless new M’s hitting coach Dave Hansen can get him to hold the bat back, the future doesn’t look too bright. (Patrick Dubuque)

The Quick Opinion: It turns out there are important things besides hitting home runs, and Eric Thames is good at none of those things. Let him make adjustments before you consider taking a flyer on him.

Profile: On YouTube, there's a highlight video containing all 47 of Eric Thames' 2015 KBO home runs. The spectacle may be our best glimpse into who he might be in his return to the majors. In the video, Thames crushes grooved, mediocre fastballs deep into the night. His left-handed swing is quick, powerful, and beautiful. It's worth noting that home run swings tend to be the prettiest a player has to offer. Rather than use real scouting (I didn't watch him play in Korea, did you?), let's analyze these home runs. Thames' swing path appears ideal. He should generate consistent loft, power, and contact. He also shows an ability to pound fly balls to the opposite field. What we don't get a good sense of is his ability to hit well-located pitches, high-velocity fastballs, or breaking balls. Any or all of those could be his kryptonite. If Thames doesn't have a glaring weakness, his friendly home park and swing could produce a 40-home run season. Signing Thames was an excellent gamble for the rebuilding Brewers. (Brad Johnson)

The Quick Opinion: Thames' return to the majors figures to be one of the biggest spring training stories. Will he be overmatched? Will he continue his KBO-mashing ways? Will he fall somewhere between those two scenarios? Yes, probably that last one.

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